As you are aware, there are several categories of claims.
Firstly, there are comprehensive land claims. We have settled all claims north of the 60th parallel, with the exception of the Deh Cho First Nations claims. There is an offer on the table and we trust that claim will be settled shortly.
South of the 60th parallel, many claims actually overlap. The process is very slow and laborious and we seem to make very little progress. Often, provinces must be brought into the negotiations because the claims involve provincial lands. A combination of factors are at play: money issues, land issues, land use for fishing, rights, and so forth. It's no simple matter. I quite agree with you that it's unwise to have nearly 1,000 specific claims outstanding. The situation has become a source of frustration for aboriginal communities and a source of friction between them and neighbouring communities. Caledonia is a case in point, as are Oka and Gustafson Lake. There's no question that we must find a better way to settle these land claims.